Four Tips For Getting Your New Year’s Resolutions Back on Track

1873

The end of January is here and it鈥檚 only been a month since you declared your New Year鈥檚 resolution. If you鈥檝e already broken your goal, don鈥檛 give up just yet.听Give your resolution another shot with a few tips from Rachel Fogelberg, clinical social worker from the University of Michigan鈥檚 Department of Ambulatory Psychiatry.


1. Create a Realistic Goal 鈥 And Truly Believe You Can Accomplish It

鈥淲anting something different for your life is a great start, but it鈥檚 often not enough,鈥 says Fogelberg. 鈥淲e hear a lot about setting realistic goals, and that is important, but often we don鈥檛 actually believe we can meet the goals that we set.鈥

Fogelberg听suggests creating 鈥渁 vision of what life will look and feel like鈥 after accomplishing your goals. 鈥淎sk yourself 鈥榟ow will these changes affect the choices I make?鈥欌 she says. 鈥淐reating and keeping a听vision won鈥檛 make keeping a New Year鈥檚 resolution easy, but it will offer more clarity on what it will take to achieve and maintain specific and realistic goals.鈥

2. Identify the Type of Support You Need Before Leaning On a Loved One

Support can come in many forms 鈥 physical, emotional, and financial. Fogelberg emphasizes the importance of identifying and discussing the types of support you need from a loved one to accomplish your goals.

鈥淚f the changes I am making will influence or impact others, I probably need to get their buy in beforehand,鈥 says Forgelberg.

鈥淔or example, if I plan to workout at the gym three evenings every week, I need to talk to my partner about scheduling, childcare, and gym fees,鈥 she continues. 鈥淪ince these logistics might present some challenges for both of us, it can be helpful for me to share my vision so my partner can understand how important this is to me.鈥

3. Change Your Environment

鈥淲hen we are looking to make changes, we need to consider what we need to change about our environment in order to be successful,鈥 says Fogelberg. She suggests making simple changes in your home and office area to stay motivated, such as removing the candy bowl in the office and replacing it with healthier snacks.

鈥淪ome changes can even act as incentives 鈥 if my goal requires healthier eating and drinking choices, it may be helpful to buy myself a fancy new water bottle to keep at my desk.鈥

4. Remember: Forming a New Habit Takes Time

No matter how far along you are in your resolution, remember that new habits won鈥檛 instantly stick right away. 鈥淯nlike the flip of a calendar page, change is a process, rather than an event,鈥 she says.

Fogelberg says initial efforts need to be intentional and deliberate. 鈥淭he process isn鈥檛 quick, but the additional time and effort can boost your ability to turn a years鈥 worth of thoughts into life-changing actions.鈥